 | ||
Ganeriwala are a business family from Rajasthan, India. They are an aristocratic Marwari family, connected with the social and cultural history of India, holding the prefix of Sethji's (aristocrats). The branches of the family have been noted for the construction of various temples across India during the British Raj of India.
Shobharam Birla, the grandfather of Raja Baldeo Das Birla, was a munim (accountant) at the Great Ganeriwala firm till 1857, before the Birlas emerged as the leading industrialists of India. The Great Ganeriwala Firm, the Great Tarachand Ghanshyamdas, (founders of Ambuja Cement) and Great Sevaram Ramrikhdas were the largest trading firms and traditional banking firms in India for centuries till 1900s Grandfather of Lakshmi Mittal worked at the Tarachand, Shobharam Birla at the Ganeriwala's and Gautam Singhania's grandfather at Sevaram Rakrishdas.
The Ganeriwala family were landlords, traders and treasurers for the Rajput royal dynasty of Rajasthan for nearly 300 years. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a visitor of the Ganeriwala haveli. In 1800's they became treasurers and bankers of the Nizams of Hyderabad, namely Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII, the worlds richest man at a point.
The Great prefix was the result of the Great firm theory applied to the Marwari family businesses like the Geat Ganeriwala firm, Great Tarachand (promoted by Neotia's, patriarchs of Ambuja Cement Ltd) and Great Sevaram Ramnikhdas Neotia's became leading agents of Burma Shell before forming Ambuja Cements Ltd.
Ganeriwala family trusts consist of temples, schools, wells and dharmashalas since the 1800s. The Sitaram Bagh temple at Hyderabad was built by Seth Puranmal Ganeriwala, in 1830s who had also built the noted Rangji temple in Pushkar in 1850. Mody University of Laxhmangarh is built on land donated by the Ganeriwala family. Sitaram Bagh temple is spread over 25 acres and classified as a heritage property. Shree Raghunathji Mandir in Nashik was donated by mother of Seth Ram Dutt Ganeriwala over a 120-acre land. Haveli's belonging to the descendants include ones in Fatehpur, Mukundgarh, Lakshmangarh, Ratnagarh. The Char Chauk Ki Haveli is the largest haveli of Shekhawati, owned by several branches of the Ganeriwala family. Other temples near Jaipur include ones in Ratnagarth, Mukundgarh, Fatehpur, Sirsa, Ganeri etc.